Breezy Point was certainly the place to be Thursday evening. First an immature SABINE’S GULL appeared along the shore, slowly drifting east, and then an adult LONG-TAILED JAEGER flew over, taking its time as it moved west towards Rockaway Inlet. Joining these two sensational birds were also a ROSEATE and two BLACK TERNS and two immature LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS among the assemblage of terns, gulls and BLACK SKIMMERS out there.

A WHITE-FACED IBIS was identified Thursday and was still present today at Captree Island, this the same location where one was present last spring for much of May and into June. Please note that Captree Island, located just west of the Robert Moses Causeway before the Jones Beach turnoff, is a private community. If you visit there, be sure to park off the roadway before the entrance to the community. Search the marsh north of the roadway for the WHITE-FACED among the roaming flock of GLOSSY IBIS.

ARCTIC TERNS have been showing up recently at the most reliable site on Long Island’s south shore for this species, namely Cupsogue County Park in Westhampton Dunes, where an entrance fee is charged. The productive flats, most active on the rising or falling tides, are north of the parking lot. Last weekend single adult and immature ARCTICS on the flats Saturday were followed by two almost full adults Sunday, though none were seen there Wednesday. A bonus Sunday was a non-breeding plumaged SANDWICH TERN, joining a couple of BLACK and ROSEATE TERNS as well as an adult CASPIAN TERN that flew off to the east. A ROYAL TERN was noted at this site Saturday afternoon, these all complementing the few FORSTER’S and LEAST TERNS and BLACK SKIMMERS plus numerous COMMON TERNS using this site. Among the various shorebirds on the flats, the most unexpected were a WHIMBREL Sunday and a lingering “WESTERN” WILLET. Care definitely needs to be taken in separating the various age groups of ARCTICS from the similar COMMON TERN plumages.

A sea watch off Cupsogue Wednesday morning produced three or more lingering CORY’S SHEARWATERS and three NORTHERN GANNETS, while a watch off Shinnecock Inlet late Wednesday afternoon found at least 7 GREAT SHEARWATERS outside the inlet but occasionally following returning trawlers right up to the inlet mouth. Also at Shinnecock were a distant PARASITIC JAEGER, two or more ROSEATE TERNS and 24 COMMON EIDERS, 2 BLACK SCOTERS, and a LONG-TAILED DUCK.

Another nice pelagic was a MANX SHEARWATER spotted late Sunday afternoon off Breezy Point. MANX is often seen off the south shore of Long Island in late afternoon, and like this bird, flying east to west, contrary to the normal Shearwater direction of movement. Like most pelagics, they tend to be more regular the farther east you go. Proven pelagic observation sites include Robert Moses State Park field 2, Cupsogue County Park, Shinnecock Inlet, the East Hampton to Amagansett beaches and Montauk Point, but don’t forget Breezy Point, where a WHIMBREL flew by last Saturday. A ROYAL TERN was reported at Jones Beach West End Wednesday.

Last Saturday a breeding-plumaged male AMERICAN AVOCET visited Piermont Pier in Rockland County. An adult CASPIAN TERN also stopped by there late in the day, but neither was seen Sunday.

To phone in reports, on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126, or weekdays call Tom Burke at (212) 372-1483.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.